Mark 1:40-2:17

Holman Christian Standard Bible

A Man Cleansed

⁴⁰ Then^(A) a man with a serious skin disease^(B) came to Him and, on his knees,^[a](C) begged Him: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”^(D)

⁴¹ Moved with compassion,^(E) Jesus reached out His hand and touched^(F) him. “I am willing,” He told him. “Be made clean.” ⁴² Immediately the disease^(G) left him, and he was healed.^{[b] 43} Then He sternly warned^(H) him and sent him away^(I) at once, ⁴⁴ telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone;^(J) but go and show^(K) yourself to the priest,^(L) and offer^(M) what Moses prescribed for your cleansing,^(N) as a testimony^(O) to them.” ⁴⁵ Yet he went out and began to proclaim^(P) it widely and to spread the news,^(Q) with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere.

The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

2 When^(R) He entered Capernaum^(S) again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. ² So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message^(T) to them. ³ Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic,^(U) carried by four men. ⁴ Since they were not able to bring him to^[c] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

⁵ Seeing their faith,^(V) Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins^(W) are forgiven.”^(X)

⁶ But some of the scribes^(Y) were sitting there, thinking^(Z) to themselves:^{[d] 7} “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming!^(AA) Who can forgive^(AB) sins^(AC) but God alone?”^(AD)

⁸ Right away^(AE) Jesus understood in His spirit^(AF) that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?^{[e] 9} Which is easier:^(AG) to say to the paralytic,^(AH) ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?^{(AI) 10} But so you may know that the Son of Man^(AJ) has authority^(AK) on earth to forgive sins,”^(AL) He told the paralytic, ¹¹ “I tell you: get up,^(AM) pick up your mat, and go home.”

¹² Immediately he got up, picked up the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded^(AN) and gave glory^(AO) to God,^(AP) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”^(AQ)

The Call of Matthew

¹³ Then^(AR) Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to Him, and He taught^(AS) them. ¹⁴ Then, moving on, He saw Levi^(AT) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,^(AU) and He said to him, “Follow Me!”^(AV) So he got up and followed^(AW) Him.

Dining with Sinners

¹⁵ While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors^(AX) and sinners^(AY) were also guests^[f](AZ) with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. ¹⁶ When the scribes^(BA) of the Pharisees^[g](BB) saw that He was eating^(BC) with sinners^(BD) and tax collectors,^(BE) they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat^[h] with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need^(BF) a doctor,^(BG) but the sick^(BH) do need one. I didn’t come to call the righteous,^(BI) but sinners.”^(BJ)